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Procedures for Affiliation of Schools
1.0 The Affiliation Process
| 1.1 |
Initially affiliation will be granted on a provisional basis for a period of two years. |
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The affiliation process is as follows:
- Each school seeking affiliation shall submit the completed application form along with the school inspection fee to Aga Khan University-Examination Board (AKU-EB).
- Each school will be inspected by an AKU-EB Quality Assurance Officer (QAO). School systems will complete an additional form indicating the extent of systems involved.
- Decision by the Board of Directors of AKU-EB will be made on the basis of the QAO’s recommendations.
- A certificate of school affiliation or letter of regret will be issued to the school.
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| 1.2 |
Affiliation will be renewed annually, subject to active compliance with the procedures. |
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| 1.3 |
AKU-EB reserves the right to visit affiliated schools during the academic sessions to ensure quality control, to inspect compliance with its syllabuses and with the national scheme of studies and in particular with the required arrangements for the conduct of examinations. |
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| 1.4 |
Any material change in the school’s circumstances which bears upon these affiliation procedures may lead,
at AKU-EB's discretion, to re-inspection at the school’s expense. |
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| 1.5 |
Any changes or modifications in these affiliation procedures
notified by AKUEB shall normally come into force after the elapse of one calendar year. |
2.0 General Definitions
| 2.1 |
'School' in these procedures will be taken to include any institution established for the pursuit of secondary education and higher secondary education registered with the relevant authority. |
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| 2.2 |
The ‘competent authority’ means the Chair of Board of
Directors of AKU-EB. |
3.0 Affiliation Categories and Types
| 3.1 |
AKU-EB will at its sole discretion, grant affiliation to a school in one of the following two categories: |
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| (A) |
“an affiliated school” implies fitness to prepare candidates for AKU-EB examinations. |
| (B) |
“an affiliated centre” implies fitness both for the preparation of AKU-EB candidates and the conduct of AKU-EB examinations. |
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| 3.2 |
AKU-EB may grant the following types of affiliation to applicant schools. |
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| (A) |
“Provisional Affiliation” will be awarded to all schools which meet AKU-EB standards on first inspection. |
| (B) |
“Conditional Affiliation” may be granted only by the competent authority for a limited time period on an undertaking that during the given time period agreed standards will be achieved. |
| (C) |
“Regular Affiliation” will be awarded on completion of 4 years’ provisional affiliation. |
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| 3.3 |
When conditional affiliation is granted, the school may report any relevant development at any point during the year. Removal of conditional affiliation may require a re-inspection. |
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| 3.4 |
A school will be informed if its affiliation status is to be reviewed. The grounds for the review will be communicated to the school. Schools can bring mitigating circumstances to the attention of AKU-EB. At least two weeks’ notice will be given of any re-inspection. |
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| 3.5 |
Any change of status will be a decision of the AKU-EB. Affiliation status may be reconsidered if the School’s Examination Officer (EO) submits evidence to AKU-EB that compliance has been restored. |
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| 3.6 |
AKU-EB reserves its right to cancel, change or modify any type of affiliation. Failure to observe AKU-EB standards for affiliation will lead to withdrawal of affiliation at two years notice. |
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| 3.7 |
Any school or school system can withdraw its affiliation at the beginning of any academic session. Reimbursement of any kind will not be made by AKU-EB. |
4.0 AKU-EB Clientele
| 4.1 |
Any school can apply for affiliation
to AKU-EB provided
it is:
- a non-government school anywhere in Pakistan or abroad.
- a government school which is under the control of the Federal Government including those in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) and Cantonment Areas.
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| 4.2 |
A government school which is under the control of a provincial government or the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), will require a written authorisation (No Objection Certificate) from the relevant government Department of Education in order to affiliate to AKU-EB. |
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| 4.3 |
Only schools preparing their candidates for examination through the medium of English or Urdu may apply for affiliation. |
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| 4.4 |
Only schools which have students proceeding to Class IX in the following academic year may apply for affiliation. |
5.0 Conditions for Affiliation
| 5.1 |
An affiliated school will normally meet the following requirements.
- The school premises should be sufficiently clean, lighted, ventilated and equipped with due provision for the safety of the students and staff and with separate and adequate sanitary arrangements for staff and students.
- Science laboratories will have the minimum necessary equipment, apparatus and scientific materials listed in the annexes to the relevant science syllabuses.
- Science laboratories will allow at least 15 students to work independently.
- A library or classroom resource area will contain copies of each textbook and reference book recommended in AKU-EB syllabuses being followed in the school.
- In schools offering Computer Science as an option, there will be a computer room with at least 6-8 work stations.
- A staff room or other communal space must be available where the examination officer and teachers can meet for professional discussions.
- An office with some sort of secretarial support for the reproduction of teaching/learning materials and other academic activities must be available to teachers.
- There will be audio equipment capable of sufficient amplification for classroom use.
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| 5.2 |
An affiliated centre will meet the requirements in para 5.1 and in addition will have:
- Classrooms or halls of sufficient size to accommodate the examination entry in groups no smaller than 30 candidates with each candidate having approximately 4 sq. ft. of space.
- Sufficient safe and secured space for short term storage of confidential material.
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| 5.3 |
An affiliated centre must make available to AKU-EB such of its facilities as AKU-EB requires for the conduct of its examinations. |
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| 5.4 |
An affiliated centre must allow access to its facilities for ‘external’ candidates for examination purposes. |
6.0 School Obligations
| 6.1 |
Affiliated schools must follow the national scheme of studies. |
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| 6.2 |
Teachers must have relevant qualifications and experience in the subject they teach. |
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| 6.3 |
In every subject classroom the school must seek to promote use of knowledge and the application of skills and understanding in addition to building a sound knowledge base in every student. |
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| 6.4 |
The school must ensure that every teacher engaged in the preparation of candidates must have a copy of the relevant syllabus. The QAO may ask teachers to produce their personal copies of the syllabus. |
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| 6.5 |
Schools must report any change of fee structure three months in advance of its coming into effect. |
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| 6.6 |
During provisional affiliation schools must release teachers for training provided by AKU-EB. |
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| 6.7 |
Schools must undertake to provide all reasonable access to teaching space, teachers and students to authorised representatives of AKU-EB. |
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| 6.8 |
The school must follow such other procedures as may be framed by AKU-EB from time to time. |
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| 6.9 |
An affiliated school shall designate a full-time member of staff as Examination Officer (EO). |
7.0 Responsibilities of the Examination Officer
| 7.1 |
The EO must be given sufficient release from timetabled classroom contact (at least six periods per week) to carry out the functions of the post. |
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| 7.2 |
The EO will be the contact person for communication in the school for AKU-EB. |
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| 7.3 |
The EO will coordinate in-house training sessions and workshops including those offered by AKU-EB. |
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| 7.4 |
The EO will coordinate all examination related activities, including pre-testing and ‘prelims’. |
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| 7.5 |
The EO will process AKU-EB related appeals and enquiries at the school level. |
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| 7.6 |
The EO will monitor student attendance and may recommend entry as a private candidate when attendance is lower than 75%. |
8.0 Security Breach, Malpractice and Appeal
| 8.1 |
AKU-EB must be informed immediately if the security of its confidential material is put at risk by fire, theft, loss, damage, unauthorized disclosure or any other circumstances. |
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| 8.2 |
It is the duty of the Head Teacher of an affiliated school or centre to ensure that all cases of irregularity or misconduct in connection with the examination are notified to AKU-EB preferably immediately and certainly within 24 hours of the circumstances coming to light. Any subsequent action required of the school by AKU-EB must be promptly undertaken. |
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| 8.3 |
AKU-EB will normally send a representative to a school to investigate suspicious circumstances, whether notified by the school or revealed by AKU-EB’s internal quality control procedures. The school must cooperate fully in AKU-EB’s investigations. Failure to do so will result in a review of affiliation status. |
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| 8.4 |
The school must put in place an Appeals Panel to handle cases of malpractice and hear appeals for special consideration and against examination outcomes. The EO will coordinate the whole proceedings along with the Head Teacher. Where there is a contentious issue to be resolved by the Appeals Panel, AKU-EB will be represented. |
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| 8.5 |
When a candidate sits the examination under adverse circumstances, e.g. personal injury, recent death of a parent, and the school wishes to submit an application for special consideration, such application must come through the Head Teacher. |
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| 8.6 |
Any appeal to AKU-EB against examination outcomes must come through the school’s Appeals Panel and be endorsed by the Head Teacher. AKU-EB will not entertain appeals from parents or guardians who have bypassed the school’s procedures. |
9.0 Interpretation
| 9.1 |
In any event and on any question as to the interpretation of any provision of these procedures, the decision of the competent authority shall be final. |
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